If your favorite food is cereal, eating Special K bars and cereal for two meals a day may seem like a dream. The Special K Diet, also known as the Special K Challenge, has been touted by Special K as an effective weight loss plan, but skeptics believe it may not be healthy. Consult a doctor before using the Special K diet to lose weight.
Function
The Special K Challenge was introduced by Kellogg's cereal company as a way to market Special K cereal. The diet is a two-week plan designed to help you lose weight. The diet is only recommended for adults with a body mass index of 25 or greater, according to dieting website, EveryDiet. The diet was based on a scientific study run by Kellogg's where participants ate Special K cereal for two meals a day. The majority of participants lost weight while following the program.
Significance
The Special K diet involves substituting a bowl of Special K for breakfast and either lunch or dinner, then eating a low-calorie, low-fat meal of your choice for the third meal, according to the Special K official website. To curb your hunger during the day, eat fruits and vegetables as snacks and two Special K bars or other Special K snacks, available at grocery stores and online. Special K bar flavors include Chocolatey Dipped Raspberry Bliss Bars, Peaches and Berries and Honey Nut.
Sample Diet Plan
During a typical day while following the Special K diet, EveryDiet recommends eating a bowl of Special K with 1/2 cup of skim milk with coffee or tea for breakfast, an apple as a mid-morning snack, a bowl of Special K with 1/2 cup of skim milk for lunch, a Special K bar for a mid-afternoon snack, grilled salmon, boiled potatoes, carrots, peas and broccoli for dinner, and fruit salad for dessert.
Snacks and Beverages
The Special K website recommends drinking beverages as you normally would throughout the day, and eating as many fruits and vegetables as desired all day as snacks or with your low-fat meal to curb your hunger. If you don't have time to sit down for a bowl of cereal, substitute the meal with a Special K meal bar, available at grocery stores and online.
Expert Insight
According to Charles Stuart Platkin, author of the book "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible," the Special K Diet limits the calories you eat for each meal. A bowl of Special K cereal with skim milk contains about 230 calories, which will probably cause weight loss if you were consuming more calories before. To determine if the Special K Diet is the right choice for you, consider how satisfied you will be while eating only two bowls of cereal for breakfast and lunch, Platkin notes.
References
- EveryDiet: Special K Diet
- Special K: Special K Challenge
- "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible; Charles Stuart Platkin; 2007
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